In addition to building overall stamina, it's important to strengthen the muscles that get you down the mountain—including your legs and core. This will help make sure you get down the mountain safely, explains Scholl, and that you'll have more fun doing it.

“With a stronger body, you can maneuver yourself on the mountain more efficiently, shift your weight easier during turns, recover from off-balance situations, and have more endurance,” explains Scholl. These benefits translate to fewer falls, which is often when injuries happen (skiers are especially at risk for knee injuries, particularly ACL tears, while snowboarders more commonly deal with ankle and shoulder injuries, says Scholl).

The major muscle groups to focus on to avoid these injuries are your legs, glutes, and core, says Scholl. The muscles in your lower body stabilize and support your knees, so keeping these muscles strong reduces your chances for a knee injury. And a strong core is also crucial because it’s your “center of gravity.” It helps stabilize your body so you can tear up the mountain with confidence.

Of course, there are many factors you can’t control when you’re skiing or snowboarding (like weather conditions and the people around you), but getting in shape before you hit the slopes helps reduce the risks that come along with these sports (also, helmets, people). To help you do that, Scholl designed this lower-body strength and cardio routine—incorporate it into your weekly fitness routine, for a stronger, safer ski season.

Learn the moves that'll get you slope-ready with these handy GIFs.

1. Dumbbell Deadlifts — 20 seconds

This move works your hamstrings, which are the main stabilizers for your ACLs—they're the "first line of defense" for many knee injuries, explains Scholl, because they can "pull" your body into a safer position. For more balance work, do single-leg deadlifts if you can keep good form.

Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding the dumbbells in front of
thighs with palms facing body.

With a slight bend in knees, push hips back and slowly slide weights
down legs toward floor while keeping spine long and abs tight.

Push through the heels to return to standing. "Squeezing your
buttocks on the way up will help engage your glutes as well as your
hamstrings—double bonus," says Scholl.

3. Skater Hops — 20 seconds

"Skiing is a lateral weight-shifting motion, and most of our daily activities and gym exercises fail to work on this side-to-side motion," says Scholl. Bonus: Squatting deeper and keeping your butt back adds in glute work, too.

Starting at the left of your space, squat slightly then jump to the
right as far as you can, leading with and landing on your right foot.
Swing your arms across your body to help you jump further.

Land on your right foot and try not to touch your left foot down as
you bend your knee (almost into a mini squat).

Jump back across left to land on your left foot. Try to jump as far
and as fast as you can while staying balanced.

Continue for 20 seconds.

4. Jumping Lunges — 20 seconds

"Working on keeping good form when you rebounding after landing from a jump will make those moguls safer and easier," says Scholl. (This helps avoid injury even if the only jumps you do are "accidental"—it happens!)

Starting standing with feet shoulder-width apart. Jump your left leg
forward and your right leg back and land in a lunge position.

Jump up and switch your legs in midair so that you land in a lunge
with your right leg in front.

Continue jumping back and forth, pausing as little as possible, for 20 seconds.

5. Plank — 30 seconds

"A strong core will make it easier for your whole body to [move together] when you are making those amazing slalom turns," says Scholl. "[Core strength helps you] more easily maneuver your legs and arms to fine tune your skills, it helps you recover from off-balance situations."

Start with your forearms and knees on the ground, shoulder-width
apart. Elbows should be stacked underneath the shoulders, your
forearms straight in front of you on the ground.

Lift your knees off the ground and push your feet back to bring your
body to full extension, so your body creates one long line.

6. Side Plank — 30 seconds each side

Using your left forearm, lift your upper body off the floor so your
body is in one straight line. Your left elbow should be stacked below
your left shoulder, your left forearm straight in front of you. Raise
your right arm towards the sky. Don't let your hips drop!

Hold for 30 seconds, then repeat on the other side.

Take a quick break, then repeat this circuit a total of 3 times.

"[Doing this workout] three days a week for six to eight weeks will help build strength and skill without overtraining," says Scholl. Before you know, you'll be tearing up the mountain, shredding the gnar...whatever you want to call it, you'll be doing it with less risk and more confidence.